The Highway 17 Food Challenge starts tonight

‘That’s the January 2nd, January 4th game, where we go to Sudbury on the 2nd, that game will be a food drive for the Sudbury Food Bank’

The North Bay Food Bank is teaming up with the North Bay Battalion to harness the long-standing rivalry between the Battalion and the Sudbury Wolves.

The goal is to raise food donations for both the North Bay and Sudbury food banks.

Debbie Marson, executive director of the North Bay Food Bank, calls it the Highway 17 Food Drive Challenge.

“That’s the January 2nd, January 4th game, where we go to Sudbury on the 2nd, that game will be a food drive for the Sudbury Food Bank,” explained Marson.

“When the Wolves come here on the 4th, it’ll be a food drive for the North Bay Food Bank.”

She says whoever collects the most at their home game wins the Highway 17 Food Drive Challenge.

“I just thought about the rivalry that’s there,” she added.

“We’ve been in touch with the Sudbury Food Bank. We’re counterparts, and we feel the same pressures when it comes to collecting food; ensuring we have enough, as well as seeing an increase in our numbers. And I thought, why don’t we take this rivalry and make some good out of it?”